THE SLARTIBARTFAST RALLY

COMPETITION/TOURINGAugust 17 to September 2, 2019

THE RALLY THAT FOLLOWS THE ‘LOVELY CRINKLY EDGES OF NORWAY’

The Slartibartfast is a two week car rally which brings together the best of Scandinavia including Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the Norwegian fjords from its starting point in The Netherlands.

Why Slartibartfast?Slartibartfast was a character in 1980’s best seller The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. He ‘designed’ the fjords of Norway for the mice who created the earth as a giant computer to find out the meaning of life. Unfortunately the earth was demolished to make way for an intergalactic by-pass moments before it was due to give the answer! Fortunately it is only fiction but we are honouring his mythical work once more with our second Slartibartfast Rally. Starting in Apeldoorn, in The Netherlands, we drive though Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Finland to Norway’s most northerly town, Kirkenes, where we join our luxury liner. From here we follow the ‘crinkly bits’ on the ship’s journey south. We spend our days driving the fjords, catching up with our floating hotel each evening – a truly stunning way to enjoy this unique coastline.

LAST YEARS SLARTI…

NEW FOR 2019

For 2019 we have a new start for the rally in Apeldoorn, a beautiful location in the more scenic area of The Netherlands. From here we will head to Nordenham in Germany, which sits on the Elbe, one of Germany’s most historic estuaries. To get to Roskilde, our next night stop, we cross the Fehmarn Bridge then take the Puttgarden to Rodby Ferry which has 48 sailings per day. We have a rest day in Roskilde to take stock and fettle the cars. From here we cross into Sweden where our first overnight is in Jonkoping, once famous for its matchstick industry. Our journey through the lakes of Sweden take us to Mora, famous
for its wooden horses, scenery and Mora Witch Trials in 1669. Now it’s a peaceful town better known for its scenery and tranquil lifestyle.

After Mora we head for Ostersund on Lake Storsjon which resisted the industrial revolution in order to keep its clean air and become a centre of outdoor activities and education. From Ostersund we continue north to Arjeplog which is the home of automotive winter testing. Very close to the Arctic Circle it has long days and short nights in the summer.
Arjeplog to Levi takes us through the Arctic Circle into Swedish Lapland and on to Finland. Levi is a wintersports resort so is pretty quiet in the summer months. From Levi we head on through reindeer country where the trees begin to thin out and there’s a biting wind all winter. Our destination
on this day is Kirkenes, the most northerly port in Norway (and it’s also further east than Istanbul).

The following day we join the MS Midnatsol, our floating hotel for the next few days, and from which we can admire the work of Slartibartfast on our way to Oslo.

MS MIDNATSOL
Your Ship: We will be on the MS Midnatsol, one of the newest and most luxurious on the fleet. It’s more cruise than ferry and has comprehensive facilities on board including a couple of bars, two dining rooms, a food court and even an outside Jacuzzi. The dining is exceptional with a wide choice of options to suit all tastes.

THE ROADS
All roads have been checked and the route is completely open. It is a mix
of tarmac and a some dirt, mainly in Sweden, so is suitable for all types of vehicles. The winning car in 2017 was an E-Type Jaguar.

CLIMATE
Picking the right time of year to do everything is difficult but the end of Au-gust/beginning of September gives good weather and a chance to see the Northern Lights plus spectacular marine life. It also means that there is no frost overnight although the mornings can be quite cool. Being out of the main tourist season also makes the journey more pleasant.

ACCOMODATION
Starting in Holland we find great accom-modation all the way to Kirkenes where we board the ferry for six days and five nights which means you don’t have to un-pack your bags for nearly a week – simply unique on any rally. BACK-UP We will provide mechanical back-up and, of course, the services of our great team to make it all as smooth as possible. Details correct at time of going to print. Please be aware that route and hotels may vary.

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What our participants say!

Patrick van Griethuysen, Maya Rally 2016

‘We had a lovely time and the support car was always on hand when needed.‘

About Bespoke Rallies

Bespoke Rallies offers adventurous classic car style tours in some of the world’s most fascinating regions. These are not speed events but offer the opportunity to enjoy driving on the lesser travelled by-ways.